Once a week I feature other Etsy artisans on my blog. Most are fellow members of my Etsy Teams: Etsy for Animals, Attack of the Craft, Etsy Moms and the Georgia Etsy Team. Some are random Etsy sellers whom I stalk whose work I love and admire. All of them are unique and have interesting stories to tell. I hope you enjoy getting to know them!

Janet is a fellow member of the Georgia Etsy Team and makes wonderful bath and body products.

How did you come up with your shop name?
Amelia was my mom’s name and it’s actually my name too. We live close to Amelia Island, FL … when my mom moved here, you should have seen the look on her face when she learned there’s an island with her name!

When did you start making Bath and Body Products?
I took a cold process soapmaking class in Savannah in 2003. I’d asked a friend to go with me and she said, “That’s too hard. I’m going to buy the kind you can melt.” Then she looked over at me and said, “Oh, my gosh! You loved it, didn’t you?” And I DID!!

What made you want to start selling your creations?
One can make only so many batches of soap to give away. Also, soapmaking can become a passion and one has to pay for more supplies!

Please describe your creative process.
I make many types of body and bath products, and there is a deep level of research and planning that goes into each one. You wouldn’t believe how many people I get to test them …. some people now ask if anything is new! Often a formulation gets changed many times (or discarded). Then there’s the packaging stage to plan. Finally the new product is made and launched!

What inspires you?
I love to help people and so many have skin problems lately. The skin is the largest organ of the body so I believe what goes on it is very important. Handmade products can be so much healthier. I belong to a team on Etsy which focuses on safe manufacturing practices and that is very important to me also.

Does your shop have a theme or purpose?
To make beautiful products that help people.

Tell us two of your short term goals and one long term goal.
One goal is to make products that are above the norm in quality and design.
Another big goal is to stay organized and balanced …. it allows one to accomplish more in a day.
My long term goal is to be a business owner with a good reputation and one to whom people turn for excellent products.

Walk us through a typical day in your life.
Many days, I get up at 6:30 to exercise. I hurt my back in high school as a gymnast and learned it’s best to keep moving. I actually lift weights in a class with some of my testers. I leave there and run errands, hopefully going to the post office with an order. From there it’s back home to get to work making products or whatever. I check in with my Etsy soap team, order supplies if needed, clean, and try to learn something new every day.

What is your favorite item in your shop right now?
I have two favorites! The Lux Silken Sleek Crème because it is amazing …. And I love my Face Polish, really any of my scrubs, because exfoliating old skin cells to reveal fresh ones is renewing. Both products make people feel better and that’s what I love!

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I’ve been using Mrs. Janet’s lip balm and it is the best thing I’ve ever used for my lips, which tend to be dry and can get damaged on ski trips or St. Simons summers. It really does the trick and is pleasant, not slimy or chemical-y as are many lip balms.